Which is to say, Notre Dame needs Tommy Rees more than Rees needs Notre Dame. And after three years of the other way around, that might not be such a bad thing.

Not once in his previous three years did Rees begin the season as the starting quarterback. Not once did he go through offseason workouts as the team's starter, running voluntary workouts, leading his teammates, building team chemistry.

So when Everett Golson flunked out of school in May, when Notre Dame had nowhere else to turn, the player Irish fans mockingly nicknamed Turnover Tommy was the one player who could make it all right again.

"Two years ago," Rees says, "I was a way different player than I will be today."

That's right, everyone. The player who filled in for injured starter Dayne Crist as a freshman in 2010 (and won four straight games); the player who filled in for a benched Crist in 2011 and started 12 games (and committed 19 of the team's 29 turnovers); the player who made critical throws in 2012 as Golson's backup (including the game-winner vs. Stanford), is here to save the day.

He doesn't even care that Irish coach Brian Kelly, notorious for pulling quarterbacks until he finds the right one, says Rees is the starter for "Temple" -- the season opener. Kelly said he expects Rees to play all 13 games, but there's little doubt his "Temple" remark has teeth.

He yanked Crist in 2011. He did it to quarterbacks at Cincinnati and did it at Division II Grand Valley State -- and won championships at both schools. If anyone has a reason to be unnerved by A.) recent history, and B.) coaching philosophy, it's Rees.

And yet, we hear this from star offensive tackle Zack Martin: "I've never seen him more confident. He knows this is his team."

He also knows Notre Dame became more dangerous on offense last season because Golson gave the unit the added threat of a running quarterback, and -- as important -- eliminated turnovers. He knows the Irish defense will again be salty, and the offense has even more talent and experience around him.

Basically, it's his job not to screw it up. Only there's a catch: he thinks Notre Dame can be even better.

"There are obviously things that I can't do that (Golson) can," Rees said. "But there are things that I can do that maybe he couldn't do."

Like intermediate and deep throws that weren't necessarily part of the offense last year. Like throwing with accuracy, and expanding a passing game that had been reduced to Golson looking at one or two options -- then running if nothing was there.

Rees isn't the same guy who in 2011 had three turnovers in a last-second, gut-punch loss to Michigan. He's not the same player who looked lost against USC, or who was benched at halftime against Stanford.

He's the guy, he says, who last season led the Irish on a last-minute drive to beat Purdue after Golson was injured. The player who played near flawlessly in a win over Michigan after Golson was benched.

The guy everyone seems to forget played a key role in Notre Dame's unbeaten regular season.

"I'm not 19 anymore; I've grown up a lot," Rees said. "I've dealt with adversity, I've learned a lot about the game and this place. I've grown up with my teammates. I'm really excited to show how I've developed."

There was a point last week during camp when Rees escaped a broken play, broke containment and picked up yards with his legs. Not something he would have done two years ago, and certainly not something anyone was expecting.

Strange how a team in need can change a player and his perspective; can create power and influence where there was none before.

"He's not afraid to voice that leadership now," Jones said. "We need him to be as strong as he can be."